Power-transmission gearing.



Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

2 SHEBTSBHBET 1.

W/ TN E SSE S ATTORNEYS H. D. WILLIAMS. POWER TRANSMISSION GEARIN G. APPLICATION PI-LED MAY 22, 1901.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HABVEY D. WILLIAMS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT COLUMBIA.

POWER-TRANSMISSION GE ABING Specification 0! Letter: Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Application filed my 22, 1907. Burial No. 875,045.

tions in number of revolutions from the driving shaft to the driven shaft of a ratio as great or greater than 10 to 1 in order to meet the conditions imposed by the marine steam turbine Where a reduction in speed between the turbine and the screw propeller will conduce to the better efficiencies of both.

Attempts to use the common forms of toothed gearing for this purpose result in a construction which is prohibitory on account of its great weight and bulk. The difficulties met with are due, not so much to the lack of strength of the gears as to their poor wearin qualities and the great noise incident to t ie high speed.

The various kinds of gearing which have been used or proposed for the purpose indicated above, are objectionable for reasons such as low eiliciency, great bulk, unsuitableness for the transmission of large horse powers, lack of flexibility (that is, in the matter of velocity ratio, permitting of none other than 2 to 1), and impossibility of using high speed on account of the presence of unbalanced centrifugal forces of great magnitude.

My invention relates to a form of epicyclical gearing with mating gears (one internal, the other external) of nearly equal diameters, in 'which provision has been made by improvements to; be described prevsently, for balancing the centrifugal forces. When desirable, I may make the gearing of the twisted form, which possesses the peculiar pro ierty of being rendered more nearly per ect by the mutual wearing of the teeth, and the initial smooth running of which does not require perfectly formed teeth. The advantages of making the two gears of nearly equal diameters is due to the fact that the supporting power of rolling contacts varies inversely with the relative curvature of the contact surfaces, and si1nilarly, the supporting power and the smooth running qualities of gear teeth increase as the relative curvature of the pitch lines ap preaches zero, that is, as the pitch lines approach coincidence.

Reference is to be had to the accompanylug drawings, in whichlgure 1 1s a sectional elevation of a transmission gearing embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-section with arts broken away, and Fig. 3 is a sectional etail on line-3---3 of Fig. 4, and Fig. i is a partial front view of a sectional plate forming part of the device.

The apparatus coniprisas a stationary outer casin made in two parts, an upper part A ant a lower part A, which are olted together through flanges on the horizontal center line, as indicated at B. An internally toothed ring (I is secured to the inside of said casing, and a driving shaft I) is journaled at one end in the outer casin and at the other end in the driven shaft also journaled-in the outer casing. The driving shaft has two cranks D of equal throw and angular position and a diametrically opposite middle crank D". -The driven shaft is constructed with or is secured to, a large disk F located within the outer casing and carryii near its periphery a series of pins G. Turning freely on each of these pins is a balanced drag link H which also turns freel on pins I projecting from a hollow externally toothed gear J supported loosely on the cranks D and made of the right diameter and pitch to mesh with the stationary internal gear C. The distance between the centers of the pinneceiving apertures in the links H is equal to the radius of the lateral cranks D of the shaft D. The difference of pitch diameter of the mating gears C and J is evidently ual to the diameter of the circle described liy the center of the hollow gearduring the revolution of the drivin shaft D. The pins I corres 0nd in num )erand location to the pins The disk F.0f the driven shaft is provided with a lip F for centering it accurately J11 relation to the hollow gear J,

so that the two series of holes intne disk F and the gear J respectively for the recep tion of the pins G and 1 respectively can he finished at one operation in the, process of manufacture, thus insuring identity of lOCEL- on. The drag links H couple the ins I of e hollow gear with the plus I of the driven shaft, etch gair of coupled pins no 7 provided as above described on the inside of the hollow gear J.

rolling weight K.

indicated at The following mechanism may be provided for an eflicient lubrication of the machine z-Annular lubrication channels A A extend in the bearingportions of the outer casi A, around the journal portion of t e driven shaft E and the op- Bosite journal portion of the drivin shaft respectively. These annular c annels communicate respectively with cross-ducts E" and D in said journals, and throu h them with longitudinal ducts E and 'lihe duct D is continued through the entire shaft D, includin the cranks D and D thereof, and has in ricating ports D. at the crank portions to supply 011 to the bearing portions of the hollow gear J and of the Some of. the orifices left at the time the several duct portions are bored out are closed by screw plugs, as but at the end supfiorted by the driven shaft E, the longitudin duct 1). of the shaft D communicates through the s ace E, with the duct E. The annular c annels A, A receive their supply of lubricant through pi es M, M, connected with a chamber M w ich may be rovided with a wind-chest or re ator The chamber M receives oil t rough. a pipe N from a pum chamber 0 which has a delivery valve controllin the outlet to the pipe N, and an inlet vs vs P controlling the supply from a collecting and settlin tank Q, communicating by 0 nin A wit the interior of the casing a as to receive oil escaping from the bearings. The oil is raised from the tank Q by means of a lunger R driven in an suitable manher, or instance by means 0 a rod S',pivoted to the longer and secured to a mug or strap S w ich is operated b an eccentr c E 0 he driven s aft 1s eccentric strap ,ay have a rolling contact with the eccentric by means of rollers Sf ournaled on the ring or strap at suitable intervals.

in order to lubricate the links H and the pirls G. I. the chamber M is provided with an outlet M, controlled by a wei hted or spring-pressed check valve P. This outlet M extehds over a lip F exten ing all around the disk F and forming an annular groove F? from which ducts F lead to transverse ducts G in each of the pins G. The ducts F and G are in perzuane'nt communication with each other, s nce the pins are rigidly secured to thedisk F; as by coarse link H. The ducts H convey oil from said annular channels H to the pins I.

For the convenience of assembling the machine and dismembering it, the hollow gear J may consist of two opposing members or plates fitted together and a so fitted tightly u on hub portions on aging the cranks D and,each. consisting 0 'two halfsections J held together in any suitable manner, ,as by screws T, Fig. 8, having cupped heads to fit split bosses J on one si e of the sections J and on ped nuts T fitting split bosses J on the at or siden By following the motions of this combination through one right hand revolution of the driving shaft, it will be seen that the hollow gear turns to the left a distance which, measured on its pitch circumference, is equal to the difference between the itch circumferences of the two gears, and a so ual to the circumference of the circle descri ed by the center of the hollow gear. Expressing this motionof the hollow r as ninetional part of a revolution, t e numerator of the oral cranks whenthe denominatoris the pitch radius of the hollow gear.

action will be the radius of the lat- 1 shaft pe revolution of the driven shaft is equal to the quotient of the pitch radius of the hollow gear divided by the radius of the lateral cranks of the driving shaft. With the proportions as shown in the draw" ings this ratio is 10 to'l, the parts taming in opposite directions.

When it IS attempted to run such a gear and to the centri gal forces develo ed by the rapid wabbling motions of the ollow gear and the counterweight. all other forces sink into insignificance. It now remains to describe the adjustments whereb these centrifugal forces areperfectly ha anced and the rubbing surfaces are relieved of'all forces except those due to the dead as this at high speedfuit is found that, comweight of the parts and those necessarilyoccurring as factors of the power trans mitted.

1 1st, The driving shaft is, by itself, gut,

in perfect static and running balance.

2nd. Each drag-link is balanced with drag-link group.

erence to the axis, about which it rotates relatively to the drivenshuft, that is, with reference to the pin G.

3rd. The driven shaft, together with its series of pins and a drag-link in place on ouch, is balanced with reference to its own axis. This balance is of minor importance since the driven shaft revolves at :1 compare.- t'lvelv slow speed.

1th. The hollow gear with its series of vpins is put in static and running balance with reference to its own axis (the running brflunce being of minor. im ortance) and the center of gravity is broug t into the central plane of symmetry which bisects the roller track. This last adjustment is made by put-- tringthe gear in static balance about a diam star in its plane of symmetry.

5th. The rolling counterweight is put in static and running balance about its axis of i (of holes for the pins G, I, that these holes are s mmetry and in static balance about a iametcr in its plane of symmetry. 6th. The weight of the hollow the rolling counterweight are adwsted so that the product obtained by multil'ilyiug the weight of each by the radius of the crank on which it turns is the same.

llv'ith the above six conditions satisfied, it is evident that the center of gravity of the assembled group comprising the driving shaft, the hollow gear imd the counterweight is u fixed. point for all possible relative posilions oi the parts. A similar statement is true regurdingihe driven shaft and the Hence the center of gravity of the combined. groups, which com prise nli moving parts, will be a fixed point when the twdgroups are assembled in the stationary nosing. A perfect running bulunce is of diminishing im ortnnce for the several parts in the following order: Drivpressure which occurs as a fu -tor of ilit' lior BJQQWGI transmitted. The only incrtiu forces producing; journal fi fi'ction are the ((Jl'lll'lfll tflill forces developer 7y the weights o l the doing-links revolving about the conic].- of the driven shaft at the. speed. of the latter and prmlu ine friction on the pins C about which the drag-links are balanced.

Rewarding the forces other than those oi inertia and dead weight it is worthy of note that the system of forces acting between the ear and l [driven shaft and the hollow gear resolves ital-f s torque. The some true of the system of forces exerted by the casing and the driving shaft on the hollow gear, the hollow gear is therefore subjected to two equal and opposite torques. And since a torque is u vector quantity, and as such has no position, it follows that nothing is sz1crificed by placing the drug-links in a plane at one side of the gears.

The arrangement and connection of the drag-links as shown with the pins G, I, supported at opposite sides of the draglinks, is of advantage in that it insures the parallelism of the two pins when both are sprung by the force transmitted by the drng-link; thus a. smaller diameter of pins is permissible. than would be possible otl'ierwise.

It is evident from the description of the method followed in finishing the two series not necessarily spaced at equal intervals around the circumference of a circle nor indeed are they necessarily on the circumfer ence of a circle at all.

Instead of the drag links I may use any one of severe well known equivalent couplings or connections between the parts J and F.

In choosin contours for the gear teeth I do not conine myself to those forms appropriate to an interchangeable series, but I make use of tooth forms well known to be most appropriate for this particular case. And I may employ twisted gears in order running qualities. Finally Imuy employ an inverted form of the mechanism hereinbefore described by trnnsposing the drug-links and gear connections in which ruse the I drug-Jinks would become a coupling between the hollow gear and the stationary casing while the internally toothed ring would hecome on inhrgrul part of the driven shaft. This inversirui is perhaps better described as a reversal of the functions of the driven shaft and the stationary casing. 'lhus consider E the stationary i'nmnbcr llllll A the driven member. \Vitli the lulu-hauling uttnclnnents removed, the drawings. us they stand, illustrate the inversion conlcmplntcd.

I claim l. A. powcr-transmission gearing. comprising :1 frame or casing, two co-uxial shafts supported by said frame, one. of said i shafts being 'n-ovidcd with u middle crank und with two lateral cranks of equal throw and diametrically opposed to the middle rruuk, a. hollow gear supported on the lateral cranks and provided with an interior track, a. cvomrcrwcight in engagement with the middle crank and with the said track, a stationary gear in engagement with the said hollow gear, and a connection between the other shaft and hollow gear.

to avail myself oi their well known smooth and with two lateral cranks of e ual throw stationary gear in engagement with the 'said crank, a hollow gear supported on the lateral smaller gear being provided with a track, a

2. A power-transmission gearing, comprising a frame or casing, two co-axial shafts supported by said frame, one of said shafts being provided with a middle crank and diametrically opposed to t e middle cranks, and provided with an interior track, a counterweight in engagement with the middle crank and with the said track, a

hollow gear, a disk secured to the other shaft, pins projected from the said disk and from the hollow gear respectively, and drag links connecting said pins.

3. A power-transmission gearing, comprising a frame or casing, two co-axial shafts supported by said frame, one of said shafts being provided with a middle crank and with two lateral cranks of equal throw and diametrically opposed to the middle crank, a hollow gear supported on the lateral cranks and provided with an interior track, a counterweight in enga ement with the middle crank and with t e'said track, a stationary gear in engagement with the said hollow gear, a disk secured to the other shaft adjacent to one face of the hollow gear, pins projected toward each other from the disk and hollow gear respectively, and drag links located between the disk and hollow gear and connecting said pins.

4. A power-transmission gearing, comprising a frame or casing, two co-axial shafts supported by said frame, an internal gear on the frame, a smaller gear in mesh therewith and loosely connected with an eccentric portion on one of the shafts, said counterweight arranged to run on said track, pins connected with the other shaft and projected toward said smaller gear, pins rojected from the smaller gear and oral el with the first-mertioned pins, and rag links for, connecting ne series of pine with the other. i p i 5. A power-transmissioh gearing, comprising a frame or casing, two co-axial shafts supported by said frame, one of said shafts having a middle crank and two lateral cranks of equal till-ow and diametrically opposed to toe middle crank, a hollow gear supported on the lateral cranks and provided with an interior track, a counterweight, in engagement with said track and with the mi d e crank, and means for transmitting motion from the hollow gear to the other shaft.

6. A'power-transmission gearing, com prising a frame or casing, two co axial shafts supported by said frame, one of said shafts having an eccentric portion, a gear supported by said ecwentric portion and provided with a track, a counterweight arranged in engagement with said track, and l two connecting elements for said gear, viz: a series of drag links and a meshing gear, one of said elements being'secnred to the frame, and the other to the second shaft.

7. A power-transmission gearing, comprising a frame or casing, two co-axial shafts supported by said frame, one of said shafts having an eccentric portion, a hollow gear sup orted by said eccentric portion and provide with an interior track, a counterweight arranged to roll on said track, and two connecting elements for connecting said gear with the frame and with the second shaft respectively.

8. A. power-transmission gearing, comprising a frame or casing, .two co-axial shafts supported by said. frame, one of said shafts having an eccentric portion, a gear supported by said erciritric portion and provided with a track, a counterweight in engagement with said track, and two connectin elements for connecting said gear with t e frame and with the other shaft respectively.

9. A power-transmission gearing, comprising a frame or asing, two co-axial shafts supported by said frame, one of said shafts having an eccentric portion, a gear supported by said eccentric portion and provided ,with a track, a counterweight arranged in engagement with said track, and

two connecting elements for connecting said gear with the frame and with. the other shaft respectively, one of said elements being constructed to revent rotation of the gear relatively to tie part to which it is connected 'by such element, and the other element being constructed to permit a relative rotation of the parts connected thereby.

10. A powcr-transmission gear, comprising a frame or casing, a driving shaft supported therein and IIOVldBd with eccentric ortions arran c in diametrically oppose positions, said shaft being in static and running balance, a gear sup orted on one of said eccentric portions, an provided with a track, a counterweight in engagement with said track .and with the opposed eccentric portion of the driving shaft. a driven shaft, and means for transmitting motion from the gear to the driven shaft.

11. A power-transmission gear, comprising a frame or casing, a drivin pit supits ported therein and provided witheccentric- 7 portions arranged in diametrically op osed positions, said shaft being in static an runnin balance, a gear supported on one of sai eccentrie' portions and provided with a track, a counterweight in engagement with said track-and wit the opposed eccentric portion of the driving shaft, a. driven shaft, links pivotally connected with the driven shaft and with said gear, and'balanccd with reference to the am of the ivots connecting them with the driven shaft,

and a stationary gear in mesh with the firstnamed gear. 12. A power-transmission gear, compris ing a frame or casing, a drivln shaft supported therein and provided with eccentric portions arranger] in diametrically op need positions, said shaft being in static an run nin balance, a gear supported on one of sai eccentric portions, and provided with a track, a counterweight in engagement with said track and with the op )osed eccem tric portion of the driving sha t, a driven shaft, a series of pins.eonl 'iected with driven shaft, links said pins and balance with with "said lin s, and a stationary gear in mesh with the first-named g a'fr.

13. A power-transmission year, comprising a frame or casing, a til'flvlill shaft sup,- ported thereifi and provided with eccentric portions arranged in diametrically opposed positions, said shaft being in statlc and running balance, a gear supported on one of sun eccentric portions and provided with a track, acounterweight in engagement with said track and with the opposed eccentric portion of the driving shaft, a driven shaft, a series of pinsconnected with said driven shaft, links pivotally mounted on said pins and balanced with reference thereto, the-driven shaft, together with its srrirsof pins and links, being hnlanced with reference to its own axis, means for pivotally connecting said links with the gear, and a stationary gear in mesh with the first-named gear.

14. A power transmission gear, comprising a frame or casing, a driving shaft sup ported therein and )rovidcd with eccentric portions arrange in diametrically opposed positions, said shaft being in static and running balance, a gear supported on one of said eccentric portions and provided with a. track, acounterweight inengage- A .nicnt with said track and with the o y eccentric portion of the driving shaft,

driven shaft, links pivotal-1y connected with the driven shaft, pins for connecting said links pivotally with the said gear, the lattcr, together with the. pins, being in static balance with reference to its own axis, and a stationary gear in mesh with the first-named gear. j Y

15. A power transmission gpar, comprising a frame or r rasing, a drivin shaft supported therein and provided wlth eccentric.

portions arranged in diametrically op osed positions,'said shaft being in static on runr nin balance, a, gear sumiorted on he of sai eccentric portions and provide with a track, a countenweight in engagement with said track and with the opposed eecentrie portion'of the driving shaft, a'

driven shaft, linkspivotully connected with said 5 pivotal mounted on ference there- 1 to, plus for pivotally conne mg the gear the driven shaft, pins for connectin said links pivotally with the said gear, the utter, together with the pins, being in static balance with reference to its own axis, and having its center of gravity in the plane of the center of gravity of the counterwei ht, and a stationary gear in mesh with t e firstmuned gear.

16. A power-transmission gear, comprising a frame or casing, a driving shaft supported therein and provided with eccentrlc portions arranged in diametrically 0p osed positions, a gear supported on one 0 said eccentric portions and provided 'with a track, a counterweight in engagement with said track and with the opposed eccentric portion of the driving shaft, the said counter-weight being in static and running balance a out its axig of symmetry and in static balance about a diameter in its plane of symmetry, a driven shaft, and means for transmitting motion from the gear to the driven shaft. V

17. A power transmission gear, compris1. inga frame .or casing, a drivin shaft su ported therein and provided witheccentrlc portions arranged in diametrically oposed positions, a gear supported on one of said eccentric portions and provided with a track, a counterwei ht in engagement with said track and wit the opposed eccentric portion of the driving shaft, the product of weight multiplied by the radius of eccentr icity being the same for said counterweight and or the gear engaged thereby, a 100 driven shaft, and means for transmitting motion from the gear to the driven shaft.

18. A power transmission gear, comprising a frame or easing, a driving shaft and a driven shaft journaled therein in alinement 105 with each other, the driving shaft being also journaled in the driven shaft, and being provided with diametrically opposed eccentric portions, a hollow gear enga ed with one of said ecoentri ortions and aving a 110 track, a counterwejg t engaged with the other eccentric portion of the driving shaft, and also in engagement with said track, a stationary (gear in engagement with-thesaid first name gear, and connections between 115 the first named gear and the. driven shaft.

19. A power transmission gear, comprise ing alining shafts, one of which is supported in the other at one end, a casing in which said shafts arejournnled, one of the shafts 120 being provided "with diametrically opposed, eccentric portions, a gear sup orted on one of said portions, and provide with a track,

a counterweight supported on the other eccentric portion and engaged with said track, 125 andmeans for transmitting motion from v the said gear to the other shaft. f

20. In a power transmission gear the c0mhinution with the driving shaft, the driven shaft, mechanism for transmitting motion 1 30 from one shaft to the other, and a casing havin bearin for said shafts, the shafts as we as the fiarings being provided with lubricating ducts, of a collecting tank into which the lubricant escapin from the bearings is adapted to flow, an a pump ferreturning the lubricant from said collecting tank to the bearings,

21. A power transmission gearing, comprising a driving shaft havin diametrically opposed cranks, and provified with Inbricating channels having orifices at said cranks, a hollow gear provided with an internal track and with a hub in engagement with one of said cranks, a counterweight in engagement with the other crank and with said track of the hollow gear a driven shaft in axial alinement with saiddrivinglshaft and operatively connected with the ollow gear,'a casing having a stationary gear in enga ement with the hollow gear and pro vide with bearin for the said shafts,- said bearings having ucts connected with those of the shafts, and means for suppl ing a lu bricant under pressure to the said ducts of the bearings and shafts.

22. In a power transmission gear a driven shaft provided with a disk having an annular channel, a driving shaft, means for transmitting motion from the driving shaft to the driven shaft, said means having luannular channel of said disk, a lubricating spout extending adjacent to the said dis and adapted to feed lubricant into the channel of the disk as the disk rotates, and means for feeding lubricant to said spout.

23. A power transmission gear comprising a frame or casing, a shaft supported therein and provided with eccentric portions arranged in diametrically opposed position, a wheel mounted on each eccentric portion, the two wheels being in rolling conand running balance.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' HARVE'T'D. WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

Case. R. Bonn,

Bronn. R. Biuon'in;

bricating channels in connection with the tact with each other and the whole in static 

